The indie film world was very different than it is today. This was before the near destruction of indie film caused by the triple disasters of the Writers Strike, Digital Disruption, and the Great Recession a few years later. The excitement around "cheap digital filmmaking" was centered on the Canon XL1 mini-DV standard definition camera. If you were cool in Hollywood in those days, you had to carry around an XL-1.
Strategy
The Internet needs to be free. [UPDATED APRIL 23 2014]
THE INTERNET NEEDS TO BE FREE Yes, free. That’s not a statement about pricing, it’s a statement about democracy. This is what is commonly referred to as “Net Neutrality." The following blog post keeps evolving since its original posting in 2010, because the concept of "Net Neutrality" (or the attempt at a more popular term, … Continue reading The Internet needs to be free. [UPDATED APRIL 23 2014]
Equity Crowdfunding is dead for us. What’s next?
If you remember that there once was a glimmer of hope for more sustainable financing for innovative small business (and, for my concern, an indie film industry) through "Equity Crowdfunding" as demanded by the JOBS Act of 2012, the fact is that it's not going to happen. It's already far past the Act's imposed deadlines … Continue reading Equity Crowdfunding is dead for us. What’s next?
Crippling Digital Distribution for Indie Filmmakers: the Death of Net Neutrality
Dismantling Net Neutrality means that the major movie studios will rule the Internet, while access to the digital distribution that indie filmmakers believe to be the future WILL BE CRIPPLED.
The independent filmmaking industry needs a new relationship with investors [UPDATED]
Prolific indie film producer Ted Hope, who spent the past year as Executive Director of the San Francisco Film Society (as of June 2015, a Production Executive at AMAZON STUDIOS), recently posted "Towards A Sustainable Investor Class: Accessing Quality Projects" as a call to build a healthy independent filmmaking industry. As always, he makes an … Continue reading The independent filmmaking industry needs a new relationship with investors [UPDATED]
From the Ivey Business Review: “Arrested Economics — Assessing Netflix’s Original Content Business”
Story-makers, the shift in the independent film industry includes new opportunities in what is commonly called "television." The new creative opportunities are exciting. Here's the second of two discussions about these new opportunities. Arrested Development and House of Cards aren't designed to deliver the metrics Wall Street expects, and this means a lot about how … Continue reading From the Ivey Business Review: “Arrested Economics — Assessing Netflix’s Original Content Business”
From the Ivey Business Review: “Original TV Series — The Illusory ‘Silver Bullet'”
Story-makers, the shift in the independent film industry includes new opportunities in what is commonly called "television." The new creative opportunities are exciting. Here's the first of two discussions about these new opportunities. Streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon see original TV series as the path to success. It's not. But consumers win. Reposted … Continue reading From the Ivey Business Review: “Original TV Series — The Illusory ‘Silver Bullet'”
Episode 1: Hal “Corky” Kessler explains Sec. 181
Episode 1: Hal "Corky" Kessler explains Sec. 181.
Crowdfunding and “Hey Zach Braff STFU and pay for your own movie” [UPDATED January 2014]
Why is there controversy about projects such as Rob Thomas's VERONICA MARS and Zach Braff's WISH I WAS HERE going to crowdfunding for the money to make their projects? The surge in Perks-based Donor Crowdfunding over the past few years was primarily built on the concept that creative projects dreamed up by common folks with … Continue reading Crowdfunding and “Hey Zach Braff STFU and pay for your own movie” [UPDATED January 2014]
THIS IS THE SECOND ‘GOLDEN AGE OF TELEVISION.’
When looking at what I've termed "The Blended Screens" -- the destruction of all the different ways that used to define what we were watching (it was a "movie" because it was shot on film and shown in a movie theater; it was a "TV Show" because it was shot on tape and broadcast by … Continue reading THIS IS THE SECOND ‘GOLDEN AGE OF TELEVISION.’
“Story-making”
Production is morphing into ... what? Is it "filmmaking" if there's no film? Are we "taping" a program if there's no tape? Are they "films" or "movies" it they are viewed on a smartphone? Is it "Television" if it's streaming online on demand? The technology of production and the delivery methods are no longer pertinent … Continue reading “Story-making”
The JOBS Act of April 2012 is a Failure for America.
THIS IS A MAJOR JOBS PROBLEM AND NEEDS OUR ATTENTION:America needs good jobs. Joblessness and low-wage jobs have crippled the survival and prosperity of millions of Americans, and are a drag on our entire economy.The promise of the JOBS Act, signed into law a year ago and supported by the most bi-partisanship effort in recent … Continue reading The JOBS Act of April 2012 is a Failure for America.
FILMMAKERS, IT’S 2013. DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR JOBS ACT IS? Part 1
1 FILMMAKERS, IT’S 2013. DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR JOBS ACT IS? Part 1 of 2 Written by Michael R. Barnard Michael R. Barnard is a writer and filmmaker who has been researching the American JOBS Act since it was first proposed. Barnard is currently working on creating an independent feature film, A FATHER AND … Continue reading FILMMAKERS, IT’S 2013. DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR JOBS ACT IS? Part 1
FILMMAKERS, IT’S 2013. DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR JOBS ACT IS? Part 2
1 FILMMAKERS, IT’S 2013. DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR JOBS ACT IS? Part 2 of 2 Written by Michael R. Barnard Michael R. Barnard is a writer and filmmaker who has been researching the American JOBS Act since it was first proposed. Barnard is currently working on creating an independent feature film, A FATHER AND … Continue reading FILMMAKERS, IT’S 2013. DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR JOBS ACT IS? Part 2
THE UNIVERSAL FILM ACCESS POINT
How will independent filmmakers fully embrace digital distribution for maximum value? It's a new world, and the old methods cannot be squeezed and twisted to work in it. There will be a new approach to bringing indie films to the audience. I call it the UNIVERSAL FILM ACCESS POINT. The old world existed because of … Continue reading THE UNIVERSAL FILM ACCESS POINT
President Obama signs JOBS ACT; its Equity Crowdfunding may rebuild indie film biz.
Written by Michael R. Barnard for ReelGrok.com "Where Filmmakers Get It!" President Obama signed the JOBS ACT into law on April 5th, 2012. Called the ‘‘Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act,’’ the goal is to increase American job creation and economic growth by improving access to the public capital markets for emerging growth companies. It will … Continue reading President Obama signs JOBS ACT; its Equity Crowdfunding may rebuild indie film biz.
Our chance to rebuild the independent film industry.
FILMMAKERS, this is very important: WHAT CONGRESS DID The house has passed the Entrepreneur Access to Capital Act which offers a tremendous opportunity to rebuild the independent film industry. The Act is designed to allow businesses to raise capital through crowdfunding. Under current securities laws, filmmakers can only ask for donations, and donors support the … Continue reading Our chance to rebuild the independent film industry.
How to Start Writing a Screenplay
There are a lot of screenwriting gurus. That's because there are so many people who want to write screenplays and are scared to death about doing it wrong. It seems that, for every 100 people who are afraid of the number of brads that must be in a script (two), the typeface that must be … Continue reading How to Start Writing a Screenplay
The cost of asses-in-seats
Here's what I think specifically about MARKETING LOW-BUDGET INDIE FEATURE FILMS (NARRATIVE FICTION). This is an effort to help visualize the numbers needed for this new world of filmmakers becoming responsible for their own direct distribution. For a successful low-budget indie feature film, it is reasonable to expect an audience of approximately one million people … Continue reading The cost of asses-in-seats
My Bumpy Road Through “Hollywood” — Is the INDIE FILM BIZ dead or not?
Did the Pythons have the indie film biz in mind when creating their masterpiece, Monty Python and the Holy Grail? Aside from the buffoonery of this so-called business, what else could have inspired the great scene, "I’m not dead"? It says a great deal about the flux of the indie film biz that yesterday, on … Continue reading My Bumpy Road Through “Hollywood” — Is the INDIE FILM BIZ dead or not?
Movie Industry Slouches Toward Digital Future
Republished with permission from eMarketer.com The past few years have been bruising for the movie industry. After more than a decade of growth, the DVD began stalling in 2007. For the first time in its history, the industry saw its primary revenue source shrink without a new format coming along to take its place in … Continue reading Movie Industry Slouches Toward Digital Future
My Bumpy Road Through “Hollywood” — Crowdfunding reveals vibrant new class of citizen funding.
Crowdfunding has great promise. And, it has exposed a vibrant new class of citizen funding. In the spring of 2010, in comments on Jeff Steele’s Film Closings blog at http://filmclosings.com/2010/04/new-method-indie-financing/, I publicly assessed crowdfunding as having the potential to generate a normal maximum of, say, $5,000 if one spent all one’s time on it. Then, … Continue reading My Bumpy Road Through “Hollywood” — Crowdfunding reveals vibrant new class of citizen funding.
My Bumpy Road Through “Hollywood” — Further Clarification of the PMD and Economics, by Jon Reiss
REPUBLISHED WITH PERMISSION "This from the man himself, Jon Reiss, in response to the many wonderful posts this week from Michael R. Barnard, Lucas McNelly and Dennis Peters regarding the PMD." ~ Sheri Candler Marketing & Publicity Let me clarify some of my feelings about the PMD. I will add my universal caveat that every … Continue reading My Bumpy Road Through “Hollywood” — Further Clarification of the PMD and Economics, by Jon Reiss
My Bumpy Road Through “Hollywood” — Indie filmmakers abuzz about new PMD position
Right now, the indie filmmaking community is grappling with the new concept of a role called PMD, the “Producer of Marketing & Distribution.” The confluence of the collapse of the indie film biz, scores of digital distribution options, and the ascent of social media has resulted in an incredibly strong and vibrant online community of … Continue reading My Bumpy Road Through “Hollywood” — Indie filmmakers abuzz about new PMD position
Towards BRAINSTORMING
In any creative endeavor, BRAINSTORMING is an important activity. This is especially true in the indie film biz, which is going through upheaval and none of the players or observers has a clear image of what lies ahead, much less how to plan for it. There is tremendous opportunity in front of us, but there is no clear business strategy for any of us.
Enter BRAINSTORMING. If you're lucky enough to put together an ad-hoc group for a strategy team, you need to exercise brainstorming.
Michael R. Barnard's Thoughts & Discussions. 